Since the beginning of 2025, the United Kingdom has significantly tightened its policy of refusing permanent asylum to Ukrainians. According to the UK Home Office, western regions of Ukraine are now considered safe enough, which serves as an argument for refusing status. Although current visas allow for an 18-month extension of stay, this only adds uncertainty for those seeking a stable life abroad, writes the BBC.
Between 2022 and March 2025, more than 1,600 Ukrainians (including family members — about 2,700 people) applied for asylum in the UK. In most cases, positive decisions were made, mainly on humanitarian grounds, but 111 applications were rejected — 85 of them in the first quarter of 2025, indicating a progressive tightening of the rejection policy.
Lawyers note a discrepancy: the government recommends not travelling to western Ukraine, but applications from those in these regions are rejected on the grounds that shelling or lack of security are not sufficient grounds for asylum. Such decisions will be appealed, with the first court hearings expected in the autumn.
Read also: Ukrainians in Britain are being denied asylum because the government considers Ukraine to be “safe”
